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16 Foods that Whiten Your Teeth & Improve Your Oral Hygiene

Have you ever thought about how you can whiten your teeth? Obviously you could visit a cosmetic dentist for teeth whitening services, but did you know certain foods can help improve your smile? There are numerous perks to having a whiter smile. A healthy white smile is more photogenic and can boost your self-confidence. You’ll no longer be self-conscious or trying to hold back your smile. You’ll look and feel healthier.

If you stop and think about it, a life without your teeth would be truly awful. Imagine all the food you would no longer be able to enjoy, and the potential speech problems you would have to deal with. But there’s no reason this has to happen to you – dental problems are always preventable with a little bit of effort on your part, and this includes watching the foods you eat.

The Top 16 Foods that Can Improve Your Teeth

Here is a list of foods which whiten your teeth and keep your mouth healthy. Try to include them in your daily diet.

1. Cheese

Recent studies suggest that food with a low concentration of carbohydrates and high phosphate and calcium content are beneficial to your teeth. Eating cheese can balance the PH value of the inside of your mouth, and it both reconstructs and preserves the tooth enamel. Additionally, eating cheese leads to excess saliva production which kills bacteria, preventing cavities and gum disease in the process.

2. Strawberries

A summer fruit and a member of the berry family, this little fruit acts as a natural teeth whitener. Despite their bright red colour, strawberries won’t stain your teeth – in fact, they’ll do quite the opposite. Strawberries contain malic acid, a substance which can help get rid of the stains on the surfaces of your teeth. To get the maximum benefit of the strawberry’s natural whitening power, eat a couple of strawberries after meals to help combat the surface stains of other foods.

3. Celery

This vegetable protects your teeth in two ways. First, raw celery is a challenge to chew. The saliva you produce as you chomp down acts as a bacteria neutralizer, which helps to freshen your breath. Celery also massages your gums, and the tough, stringy texture can help clean your teeth like a natural toothbrush. To fully utilize these cleansing benefits, try eating it raw once a day.

4. Kiwis

Kiwi is a vitamin C powerhouse. All it takes is one big kiwi, or two smaller ones, and you’ll be supplied with a complete daily dose of vitamin C. Vitamin C deficiency has been shown to cause gums to weaken and become more prone to disease. Therefore, vitamin C is essential to oral health, as it ensures your mouth is resistance to harmful bacteria and gum disease.

5. Onions

Even though onions aren’t easy on your breath, they’re certainly beneficial to your teeth. First of all, they’re colourless, so they won’t cause any surface stains on your teeth. Onions are also capable of destroying various types of bad bacteria. To enjoy the onion’s antibacterial benefits, it’s best to eat them raw, so try adding a few slices to your salad.

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Apples are a tough fruit, so eating them is considered a great form of exercise for your gums. In addition to strengthening your gums, apples increase saliva production and act as a breath freshener since they kill the bacteria in your mouth that can cause your breath to smell bad.

7. Wasabi

Studies have revealed that wasabi can protect your teeth from cavities. If you love hot sauce, you won’t have any trouble adding wasabi to your diet. The substances that are responsible for wasabi’s spicy taste are called isothiocyanates, and they prevent the progression of cavity-causing bacteria.

8. Parsley

Parsley is the best thing you can chew after you’ve had a copious meal, as it can freshen your breath and encourage digestion. Parsley contains substances called monoterpenes, which evaporate quickly and have a nice smell. Monoterpenes can move from your bloodstream to your lungs in no time, so your breath becomes very fresh, very fast.

9. Broccoli

It is crunchy, but it won’t get stuck between your teeth. Broccoli won’t affect the colour of your teeth or stain your smile because this veggie is fibrous and low in carbohydrates, the sugars that feed bacteria in your mouth. At the same time, Brocolli acts as a natural tooth brush. So, eat broccoli raw after your meal, and it might help scrub off some of the surface stains left behind by other foods.

10. Carrots

Carrots and celery have a similar effect on your teeth, because they’re both tough, fibrous veggies. Carrots stimulate saliva production, which washes bacteria away, and makes your teeth cleaner and brighter while strengthening your gums. Opt for raw carrots or celery as a snack – the effects on your teeth from these two veggies are practically the same, they only taste different.

11. Seeds and nuts

Almonds are a great source of protein and healthy fats, so eat them as a snack when you feel like you need energy. Furthermore, the abrasive qualities of seeds and nuts like almonds helps to rub stains and even plaque off the surface of your teeth, making them a good snack choice for maintaining your pearly white smile.

12. Baking soda

This common pantry item is found in all sorts of products, from deodorizers and detergents to toothpaste and cookie mix. Making a paste with baking soda and brushing it over your teeth will help whiten surface stains and reduce plaque build-up. This is because baking soda acts like a mild bleach – it’s a great, inexpensive option for those interested in natural teeth whitening.

13. Oranges

Oranges and other citrus fruits are very acidic, and with significant consumption this acid can wear away the tooth enamel. It may help to make your teeth whiter, but strong enamel is essential to the overall health of your smile, so eating too many acidic fruits is not recommended. However, oranges and other citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C, so it’s still a healthy choice for you and your teeth in moderation.

14. Pears

Pears are a great, versatile fruit. First of all, pears neutralize the bacteria that can stain your teeth and cause your breath to smell bad. Secondly, much like with apples, this tough, fibrous fruit increases saliva production and washes away food stains. Your smile will certainly benefit from the addition of pears to your daily diet.

15. Milk and Yogurt

Not only do these two dairy products make your teeth look good, but they also make your teeth feel good – that is, if teeth could feel, and if they could, they would feel stronger thanks to the calcium in milk. Milk helps make the enamel healthier and whiter, but don’t be fooled into thinking that all calcium-rich products will have the same effect on your teeth. So, drink a glass of milk or have a cup of Greek yogurt after dinner, and your teeth will be grateful.

16. Shiitake Mushrooms

There is a little-known sugar known as lentinan found in shiitake mushrooms. This sugar inhibits the mouth bacteria from developing plaque. Adding a few slices of shiitake mushrooms to your meals will help you to benefit from this phenomenon. If you buy dried shiitake, remember to soak them in water for at least 25 minutes before use.

Improving Your Smile, Naturally

Nature has thousands of ways for us to keep our teeth naturally clean and white, and our smiles happy. Those who don’t arm themselves with knowledge and do their due diligence when it comes to oral hygiene often end up dreading showing off their teeth, and without even realising it, they find themselves frowning more often than smiling.

Now that you know more about how to make your teeth white and your mouth healthy, you might want to consider making a salad packed with the natural teeth whitening foods listed above, and slipping an apple, pear, or stalk of celery into your lunch bag each day.

With a little bit of time and effort, anyone can have a beautiful smile.

Want faster and better results? Book an appointment with us today to have your teeth whitened instantly!